I Dare You
by perpetual-estrangement
Summary: Neal really needs to watch his mouth when speaking to Emma, especially when Hook's around. ONESHOT. Based on a great Tumblr prompt from firstbeanstalk. Rated M for language.


**Here's the awesome prompt:**

_Hook, Emma and Neal are together in Neverland deep in the woods. Drama ensues of course as words are said out of anger and fear. Hook yells at Neal, Neal yells at Hook, Emma yells at Neal, which then causes Neal to snap back at her, saying something rude and insulting._

_Hook then suddenly grabs him by the shirt, flings him around and slams him against a nearby tree. He lifts his hook and glares at him and says, "Talk to her like that again…I dare you."_

_Emma just stands there with her mouth gaping open in shock, completely stunned that someone actually stood up for her. _

**Hopefully I did it justice! Let me know what you think!**

* * *

"Emma, I think we should start thinking about taking off on our own," Neal whispered beside her in the darkened Neverland jungle.

Emma shot her eyes to Hook who was leading the way through the trees and vines, ferns and flowers, to make sure he hadn't overheard Neal's suggestion. The pirate gave no indication that he could hear and continued cutting a path.

They had done this for many days, searching for Henry with absolutely no luck. Hook and herself had often teamed up to scour the island, him setting the course while she guarded their backs, and often they encountered more than their share of trouble, what, with natives, Lost Ones, killer plant life, mermaids, and even the occasional beast, lurking about in the jungle. Hook, for all the trouble the quest had caused him so far, never complained and never stopped and Emma could see the unmistakable mark of determination in his brow. Hook would find Henry if it was the last thing he did. Though she could never read the why's, she could see the truth of his desire to help and that had her trying to keep a lid on her more biting comments for the pirate. Although, despite his seriousness, he could still flirt, tease, and throw suggestive comments like nobody's business, leaving her no choice but to stay ready with a plethora of 'bitch, please' faces. If she was being honest with herself, she was actually starting to find their exchanges funny and with all the danger they had come through together, she found herself echoing old words of his: they made quite the team.

It was more than a little irritating then, that Neal, who had only shown up, back from the dead with Mulan, Aurora, and a prince, the day before, was suggesting they take off and leave Hook.

Slowing her pace to put a bit more distance between them and the pirate, she narrowed her eyes at her son's father. "Why would we do that?"

"Come on, Em," he said, giving that condescending face she knew a little too well for her liking. "We can't trust him. We'd be safer on our own. I know Neverland just as well as he does and I don't know that I trust him with the safety of our son."

A small crackling fire of anger was beginning to heat up within her at the accusations. Of course they could trust Hook! She was the one with the lie detector; she would know! More than that, she had witnessed the proof everyday!

"Well," she whispered low, forcing herself to remain calm and diplomatic, "I happen to think that we can."

Neal looked at her like she had lost her mind. "Sweetheart, if I know him at all, I know he only looks out for himself."

"Well, then you don't know him," she snapped, a little too loud perhaps, but the sour endearment coupled with his know-it-all attitude, was beginning to piss her off. He wasn't being fair! Hook had hauled them out of Storybrooke, hated enemy in tow, kept them all safe from the unfamiliar (to them) land, and dove head first into organizing the search for Henry, a boy that he had never even met. She didn't know why but his actions were irrefutable. Hook had proved himself trustworthy and was doing his damnedest, and Emma was stupidly thankful and now majorly irritated that Neal was being such an ungrateful ass.

"I don't know him?" he responded in disbelief, his voice working its way to a yell. "Emma, the man stole my mother and destroyed my family. He took me in, knowing full well whose son I was, with every intention of using me to get to my father, and then when he didn't get was he wanted, he handed me over to the Lost Ones! Are you really stupid enough to trust him with Henry's life?"

"Bae!" Hook snapped, no longer blissfully unaware of the conversation.

"Mind your own business, Hook," Neal barked, glaring daggers at Emma, daggers she was returning.

"My first mate is my business, lad," Hook returned, walking back towards them, danger and warning in his otherwise level tone.

Neal snorted at that. "I don't want the job. Thanks anyways."

"Wasn't referring to you, boy."

Neal's eyes went wide with surprise. Emma was fairly stunned herself, truth be told, but it only lasted a moment as Neal's argument became vicious, adding fuel to her already blazing anger.

"Oh, so _that's_ why you trust him," he began, before she cut him off.

"Don't you dare, Neal," she growled. "Let me tell you something. That pirate," she pointed at Hook, "is the only reason we were able to get to Neverland in the first place. He didn't have to help, but he did, and if you could grow up and realize that your mom made her own choices, maybe you could show a little thanks to the man who's helping us find our son!"

"Is that what you did, Emma?" he asked, his tone heavy with insinuation.

"Neal, you need to shut the hell up while you still can."

The man scoffed dramatically, tossing his head in derision. "My bad, Emma. How stupid of me. It's no _wonder_ Hook's so eager to help with you whoring yourself in gratitude."

It happened so fast, Emma thought she might have actually blacked out in rage, because before she knew it, Hook slammed Neal against a nearby tree so hard, she thought she heard the damn thing crack. His right forearm over Neal's throat pinned him to the spot and the sharp, silver hook, flashing in the moonlight, was hovering dangerously in Neal's line of vision.

"Speak to her like that again. I dare you, lad," Hook said low. His voice was so calm, so cold, so deadly, that Emma shivered in fear, even though she was the one he was protecting.

That thought made her seriously pause and as she thought about it, her jaw popped open in shock. Hook had protected her from more than one danger while they were in Neverland, but this was an entirely different thing. He wasn't just protecting her. He was standing up for her. When had _anyone _ever done that for her before?

"Get off of me, you son of a bitch!" Neal snarled, fighting Hook's hold. Or at least he did until that hook point rested in between his eyes.

"I mean it, Bae," Hook said, still just as calm but adamant and dangerous nonetheless. "Disrespect her again and you'll be sucking the bilge from the Jolly's depths for the remainder of our stint here."

Neal's lip curled as he glared at the Captain. "And here I thought you'd just threaten to kill me."

Hook's smirk was cruel and terrifying. "Don't tempt me, my boy."

Neal pushed the pirate away, only successful because Hook allowed it, and stalked back towards the ship, quickly disappearing in the thick trees and heavy darkness, grumbling and bitching the whole way.

Emma knew her mouth was still hanging open but she couldn't collect herself, still too stunned from what she had just witnessed. She watched Hook as his shoulders moved with the tight breath he took in and then as he tipped his head back to the stars, obviously trying to calm himself, his fist clenched tightly by his side. He had been so relaxed and easy as he threatened Neal, but as she watched him, Emma could see just how violently furious he actually was. Another rigid breath was drawn and just like that he had control of himself again.

"Are you ready to continue, lass?" he asked over his shoulder, his volume respectful of the night.

"Yeah. Let's go," she managed after swallowing hard. He took off immediately but she was rooted to her spot. She wouldn't, _couldn't_, just let that scene go. "Killian," she called softly, stopping him abruptly and making him finally turn and look at her, those blue eyes burning with anger and glowing dangerously in the darkness. "Thank you."

His face softened the slightest bit at her thanks and he, without hesitation, made his way to her, stopping close and nonchalantly plucking a leaf from her hair. "Anytime, lass."

"No," she said, really wanting him to understand how serious she was. "Really, Killian. No one has… I mean, I'm not used to having someone do something like that for me." She shrugged. "I usually fight my own battles."

Killian dropped his gaze from hers and moved it to her fingers as he lifted her hand and gently stroked her knuckles with his thumb. There was a thoughtful quirk to his brow and to his mouth as he processed her small speech.

"While I know you're more than capable, Emma love, I think you deserve to have someone who will fight them for you," he said softly, so softly it was like a secret that he was afraid the trees might overhear.

A lump was in her throat and her heart was racing out of control at his words. Just when she thought the evening couldn't get any more surprising! The thumping in her chest became heavier when he lowered his lips to her hand, kissing her fingers reverently and, to her disappointment, briefly, before giving her hand a squeeze that could only be described as affectionate. The urge to hug him was ridiculously strong but Emma beat it back, even though she really wanted nothing more in that moment than to figure out what his arms would feel like wrapped around her in comfort, but the jungle was dangerous and they had a job to do.

He lifted his brow, asking once again if she was ready, and she responded with a nod. Killian turned to continue their trek, keeping her hand in his as they walked and Emma knew she wasn't about to let go.


End file.
